Under the Water (Book 1)

eight

The boy Rani drew. I know it's him. I just do. I can't place it but I know him. More than I should. He is just a outer pier commoner right? Then how do I know him? I want to know more. I have to know more.

I can't stop staring at him until the court is started. The trial goes by quickly for the most part. I'm not really listening until the very end.

"Quinnson Seventh you are Guilt...." I cut the Judge off quickly before he says guilty.

"Not guilty." I announce. My word is almost more important than the queen and King. My parents look at me in a reaction that shocks me.

The court ends quickly after that and the boy will do community service for 3 years every day. He was going to die if I hadn't of said not guilty. But he still had to have a punishment.

After the trial I stalk off to the gardens and order to be alone. I look out at the flowers and push down a sob. That boy, Quinnson, was so real. So unlike everything. The way he held himself. The way he looked. The flowers here feel real and they smell real but I know that they aren't. It's obvious. The plants don't die. The food is never bad. Its always there. That lingering feeling of dull.

"Scarlett. We won't talk about it if you don't want to." Kaidenn looks at me with kindness.

"Okay." But instead of talking about that we don't talk about anything. Kaidenn just sits beside me, his dirty blonde hair almost hanging over his eyes.

"We on for tonight still?" He asks standing up. I nod slowly. I realize what he is doing in an instant. When we were little we used to take dance all the time and dance. Since we were boy and girl twins I always had a dance partner. Dance takes my mind off things even now.

The speakers in the corners of the garden burst to life with an old song played at every ball. He takes my hand in his and steps in the pavilion of the garden grinning. Slowly I whisper;

"Does that boy from today remind you of anyone?" I ask quietly shocking him.

"No. But we could find that out tonight." He says and I gape at him processing what he said.

"You'd go all the way to the outer pier?" He grins and replies;

"We can tonight." He states and drops my arms turns toward the door back inside. Right as he is about to open it He turns back and winks then walks inside.

When I walk inside I can practically taste the amount of gossip in the air. I walk up the stairs to my room and close the door loudly. For a change I am the only one in my room. That is a first. I step out of my dress from the trial and look at my bed. I see a long not puffy navy dress laying on my bed with a note.

Thank you.

It's not signed making me wonder who it's from. It's so simple but so real. Like Quinnson.

I slip on the dress and spin in it. It feels absolutely perfect. I am humming and take out my hair leaving it in perfect curls all along my head. Ali manages to contain my auburn-red curls but after my day they flow together. Usually my hair gets really messy but I have relative ease combing it out. A maid knocks on my door and peeks her head in.

"Miss Scarlett. You're father wishes to see you. You have five minutes to get ready and I will escort you downstairs." I nod slowly confused and close the door the maid opened. I run into my closet and take off the dress that was on my bed. While it is beautiful I am the future queen so being comfortable isn't a luxury I do own.

I put on my lavender dress and a white wrap for my arms. I fix my hair a bit but it looks amazing so I just leave it down and walk into the hallway with the maid who has been creepily waiting outside.